Federal Judge Accused Of Driving ‘Super Drunk’ Crashes Into Judicial Misconduct Complaint

If you thought the drama surrounding Judge Thomas L. Ludington (E.D. Michigan) had peaked with a super-drunk crash, a 0.27 BAC reading, and months of secrecy about the incident, think again.

Yesterday, Fix the Court — a nonpartisan group that advocates for greater transparency reforms in the federal courts — filed a formal judicial misconduct complaint against Ludington with the Judicial Council of the Sixth Circuit, alleging that his conduct “maligns his office and is inconsistent with the high standard of conduct that federal judges are expected to follow.” 

This complaint, backed by a detailed statement of facts, police reports, and contemporaneous reporting, marks the latest escalation in a matter that has already done more damage to public confidence than most judicial scandals in recent memory.

Fix the Court’s complaint isn’t playing nice. It recounts the October 2025 crash in which Ludington was found behind the wheel confused and disoriented, unable to explain why his airbags deployed, and twice identifying himself as a federal judge — even after failing multiple field sobriety tests. A toxicology report revealed a blood-alcohol level well above the legal limit, yet that information undisclosed for roughly four months until a local newspaper broke the story. 

Fix the Court doesn’t just outline the arrest, it explicitly calls out the delay in reporting, noting that Ludington continued to hear dozens of new cases right up through February18, even as the criminal matter lingered in the background while the public remained in the dark. 

The complaint argues that these facts meet the statutory grounds for admonishment under the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act, and that the Sixth Circuit should not let Ludington quietly slide back into the judiciary’s shadows. Here’s an excerpt from the complaint:

On the afternoon of Feb. 23, E.D. Michigan released a statement saying that Ludington “has volunteered to take a leave of absence from the Court pending resolution of the state legal matter.” That is a prudent decision in our view, but unfortunately, the statement does not indicate whether Ludington sought treatment or undertook any other measures to try to instill confidence in his work product while the OWI case hung over his head. The statement also means taxpayers are on the hook for some $50,000 in paid leave, if not more.

Due to the Oct. 3 incident, we believe that Judge Ludington meets the grounds for admonishment under the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act, if not a recommendation for retirement under 28 U.S.C. §372 or worse, and that he should be disciplined as the Chief Judge and Judicial Council deem fit.

Fix the Court goes on to explicitly ask the council to consider continuing the investigation even if Ludington retires during the pendency of the matter, and to look into the delay in public disclosure. 

For now, Ludington remains on leave, with a state criminal trial set for May 8 and a judicial misconduct complaint now hanging over him.

As we’ve previously documented in these pages, a judge’s behavior off the bench can have real effects on the bench, and when the institution itself appears to circle the wagons, public trust erodes even further. This complaint may not be the end of the story, but it sure as hell makes the next chapter harder to ignore.

Judicial Misconduct Complaint [Fix the Court]

Earlier: Federal Judge Accused Of Driving ‘Super Drunk’ Takes ‘Voluntary’ Leave From The Bench
‘A, B, C, D, F, U’: Field Sobriety Test For Federal Judge Who Allegedly ‘Urinated Himself’ Goes Remarkably Off Script
Federal Judge Arrested, Accused Of Driving While ‘Super Drunk’

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Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.